Leading article: Too much reality

Could the tide be turning against the social networking site, Facebook? It has turned a "poke" from an annoying jab into an electronic gesture of friendship and allows remote acquaintances to request to be "friends". But some are starting to ask if it is all a poke too far. More than 50,000 users protested after a new program allowed their Facebook friends to see what they bought online. There was a limit to how much they wanted to share, after all.

And they are not alone. Recently, one hears whispers from frustrated 20-somethings wary of Facebook's ever-extending tentacles. The danger is all the more pressing with the party season upon us. Suddenly, camera phones and messages are everywhere, documenting every lapse for anyone who cares to take a look. Perhaps there is a realisation of a fact that many always suspected: some things are best left offline. Anonymity is under-rated.